The Literacy Letter: LVSC's E-Newsletter
40th Anniversary Edition
LVSC is 40 and We’ve Been Celebrating ALL Year Long
Wrapping up our 40th year of service, we are feeling grateful. Thank you to the volunteers, board members, supporters, partners, and staff members, past and present, who have helped us reach this milestone year with strength and resilience. You've shared the gift of literacy and you've made the world a brighter place.
LVSC's 40th Anniversary Party
We joyfully celebrated LVSC's 40th anniversary at the Bridgewater library on November 19th. Thanks to all who joined us and to those who supported in spirit.

After 18 months of Zoom-only parties, we were excited to see the LVSC community in person. Eighty guests joined us for a boxed dinner, great prize drawings, and a spirited group game. And, of course, we reflected on our past. Interested in learning more? You can read about LVSC’s 40-year history here.
Take a Walk Down Memory Lane - A Fun Video!
Tutor-Student Spotlight: Pat and Pedro
Congratulations to Pat and Pedro who shared their tutoring experience at our 40th anniversary celebration.

Pat and Pedro have been working together since 2019. Pat has dedicated her life to public service: four years in the Army and 25 years as a teacher. Pedro leaves a lasting impression with his magnetic personality, strong desire to learn English, and positive attitude. His first job in the U.S. was at Marshall's where he started in the back room and ended with the keys to the store and an Assistant Manager job offer! Says Pedro, "To all of you guys that are teachers at LVSC, I’m always going to be grateful, because you are a guiding light in the lives of your students." 
Tutor Spotlight: Meet Kala
Thank you to Kala who shared her experiences at our 40th anniversary celebration. Says Kala, "LVSC and its tutors build a community for the students. We talk about many things together including the pandemic, their lives, their kids. I find this opportunity to be very rewarding, not so much for what I give, but for what I receive - understanding the lives of my students, their friendship and this community of dedicated volunteers and staff."

Virtual made all the difference! Kala is a tutor and conversation group leader. Learn how the pandemic brought her back to LVSC. 
Welcome to Our Newest Tutors
My how we’ve changed! Can you tell which class of new tutors is from the 1990s and which is from our most recent Tutor Training Workshop?!?

We’re thrilled to welcome 13 new tutors who completed our Fall Tutor Training Workshop. They are working with 18 students who hail from eight different countries.
 
Thinking about becoming a tutor? Know someone who might like to get involved? We need you! Emerging from the pandemic we are seeing a surge in student applications and a shortage of tutors. Training is provided. A teaching background is NOT required. Learn more about our Tutor Training Program here.
Student Spotlight: Meet Li

From her childhood in China, to her first Thanksgiving in New Jersey, Li shares some of her life experiences. Prepare to be inspired!
Congratulations to Our Newest U.S Citizens
During the pandemic, three dedicated tutors have been providing one-to-one tutoring to help prepare LVSC students for the naturalization test and interview – with great success! This year, ten of our students have become proud new citizens. (Pictured: Marina, Shirly, and Chhibabhai.)

Tremendous thanks to longtime volunteers Elizabeth Breedlove, Allison Caulfield, and Kristen Sokol who have supported countless individuals to achieve their American dream.
Board Member Spotlight: Dr. Walter Young

Welcome to Dr. Walter Young, LVSC's newest board member. Walter is another of those inspiring individuals who has dedicated his life to public service. An LVSC volunteer since 2016, Walter recently completed his doctorate in Public Safety Leadership and embarked on a new career at Mercer County Community College where he is an Education Specialist.
Partnering to Promote Family Literacy
We had a great time collaborating with Middle Earth to offer Family Reading Nights. During this 5-week program, each week Middle Earth students in grades 3 through 6 were given a new book to keep and a craft to go with it. Pizza was delivered to everyone’s home, and all logged into Zoom. LVSC volunteers led a read aloud as families followed along. We then crafted together. It was so enjoyable!

Thank you to Healthier Somerset’s Building Bridges to Better Health, which is funded by Sanofi, for providing a grant to purchase books, crafts, and pizzas, and a big shout out to LVSC tutors who volunteered each week.
Thank You to Our Donors
LVSC was thrilled to receive a 2021 Community Grant from The Provident Bank Foundation, a dedicated supporter since 2013! We are proud to help people from all over the world learn English while becoming active members of the local community, but we couldn't do so without financial support from the community.

You can see a complete list of our corporate and foundation donors here.
 
(Pictured: Left - Aimee Lam, LVSC Executive Director. Right - Samantha Plotino, The Provident Bank Foundation Executive Director.)
Make an Anniversary Donation
Matching Gift Challenge Update: In honor of our big birthday, the LVSC board and staff issued a fundraising challenge: for every dollar donated, the board and staff promised to double the donation, up to $15,000. 

Thanks to your support we reached our fundraising goal of $15,000 – which has been matched dollar for dollar – for a grand total of $30,000! What a meaningful way to celebrate our milestone year.

 
It's not too late: you can still make an Anniversary Donation through January 2, 2022! All donations help us train volunteers, serve students, and develop new programs as we move into our fifth decade of service. Thank you!
Wishing You a Safe, Healthy and Happy New Year!